Overview

Multiple choice questions are one of the most common forms of assessments as they can be scored quickly and provide quick feedback to students on a broad range of content. One drawback is that it can take time to construct good questions, especially for higher order thinking.

Strategies

Emphasize Higher Level Thinking

Use memory application questions rather than simple memory recall questions. For example, place a particular concept in a real-life situation or context.

Keep Option Lengths Similar

Ensure each answer options are of a similar length so as to avoid making the correct answer the long or short answer.

References

• Truckee Meadows Community College: Writing Multiple Test Questions (6:10)
• Faculty Innovation Center (The University of Texas at Austin): Writing Multiple Choice Questions
• Jennifer K. Smith (Center for Teaching Excellence, University of Florida): Creating a Higher Order Multiple Choice Question (.pdf)
• Cynthia J. Brame, Center for Teaching Excellence (Vanderbilt University): Writing Good Multiple Choice Questions
• Faculty Center (Brigham Young University): 14 Rules for Writing Multiple Choice Questions (.pdf)
• Canvas Guides: How Do I Create a Multiple Choice Quiz Question?

Related Resource Library Topics

• Assessments
• Feedback
• Grading
• Practical Guide to Assessment